1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image printing system and an image printing method capable of providing various designations relative to the extra-copy printing using, for instance, an extra-copy designation sheet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, various developments have been made in connection with "Digital Still Camera" which is used for preserving still images electronically and is widely in use. On a camera using an ordinary silver film, an image is recorded as a chemical change on that film and requires a chemical treatment when developing the film. On the contrary, a digital still camera converts an image into electrical signals using a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) instead of a film and records the electrical signals as an image file. So, when using, for instance, a liquid crystal display, etc., there is such a merit that a desired image can be read from a recorded file and checked on the place where it is taken. Furthermore, there is also such a merit that a taken image becomes directly an image file and it is easy to take it into a hard disk, etc. of a personal computer.
A general digital still camera is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) to control the entirety, a CCD to convert optical image data into electronic image data, an image compressing portion to compress image data, a memory to store image data, interface portions to exchange image data with outside equipment, etc. As a memory, for instance, a flash memory card (ATA standard PC card memory, etc.), built-in memory and the like are adopted.
Further, on a digital still camera, the image data exchange is performed primarily through a serial interface or by removing a PC card memory from a digital still camera and directly connecting it to a personal computer which has an interface of said PC card memory at present.
Further, some of digital still cameras are equipped with a function to select so-called "Economy Mode" and "High Image Quality Mode". In the Economy Mode, as an image compression ratio is increased and a image file size is made small, it becomes possible to record many image data in a memory of limited capacity. On the other hand, in the High Image Quality mode, as the compression ratio is suppressed, the image file size becomes large but it becomes possible to obtain high image quality.
Image data thus obtained using a digital still camera of such a conventional technique are transferred to a personal computer that is connected to the digital still camera through a communication interface. And in the personal computer, various data processes desired by user are carried out. Thereafter, the processed data are transferred to a color ink-jet printer, color sublimation type printer, color copier, etc. and printed therein.
In addition, various printers designed for exclusive use by digital still cameras for transferring image data taken by digital still cameras directly to an image output apparatus for printing without providing to a personal computer have been put in the market recently.
However, there was such a problem that the output environment for printing images obtained by digital still cameras were not yet arranged sufficiently. Further, when color printers for personal computers such as, for instance, ink-jet printers or sublimation type printers for exclusive use for digital cameras are used, there were such problems that much time was needed for printing and much more costs than silver film photographs were required.
Furthermore, when printing a large quantity of color copies using various printers as in the extra-copy printing of silver film photographs, there is such a problem that much more time is needed for the processing. Further, the printing speed of color copiers is faster than such printers but a system connecting a color copier with a digital camera from the concept of "Extra-Copying" has not yet been realized.
On the other hand, the image data editing using a personal computer is able to perform a complicated editing process as described above but on the contrary, labor and time are also needed in addition to special knowledge until output images are finally obtained.